According to GuruFocus, these stocks have reached their 52-week lows. The price of Altria Group Inc. (MO) shares has declined to close to the 52-week low of $48.31, which is 35.3% off the 52-week high of $71.86. The company has a market cap of $90.78 billion.

High Times Purchases Spain’s Spannabis for $7 Million in Cash and Stock, Plus Milestone Payments By John Jannarone The parent of High Times magazine has purchased Spain’s Spannabis for $7 million in cash and stock, adding Europe’s largest marijuana industry event to its growing conference portfolio. Spannabis’s parent company, Feria Del Canamo, S.L., will […]

High Times Purchases Spain’s Spannabis for $7 Million in Cash and Stock, Plus Milestone Payments By John Jannarone The parent of High Times magazine has purchased Spain’s Spannabis for $7 million in cash and stock, adding Europe’s largest marijuana industry event to its growing conference portfolio. Spannabis’s parent company, Feria Del Canamo, S.L., will […]

Tiffany & Co. says holiday shoppers and Chinese tourists spent less on its bling. The luxury jeweler, famous for its little blue boxes, says sales slipped in the holiday shopping season as Chinese tourists spent less while traveling due to the strong dollar, making it more expensive to buy Tiffany jewelry outside of its stores in China.

Tobacco-friendly Virginia, where the early economy was powered by the leafy plant and the industry continues to hold great sway, is preparing to put new limits on who can buy tobacco products. Citing the rapid growth of teenage vaping, GOP leaders in the majority-Republican General Assembly announced Thursday they are backing legislation to raise the age limit on buying tobacco products from 18 to 21. Virginia-based Altria, one of the biggest tobacco companies in the world, said it supports the proposal.

TORONTO , Jan. 18, 2019 /CNW/ - Cronos Group Inc. (CRON) (CRON.TO) ("Cronos Group" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that the meeting materials for a special meeting of holders (the "Shareholders") of common shares of the Company (the "Common Shares") to be held on February 21, 2019 (the "Meeting"), including the management proxy circular dated December 31, 2018 (the "Circular"), prepared in connection with the proposed C$2.4 billion equity investment by Altria Group, Inc. (MO) ("Altria") in Cronos Group (the "Investment") previously announced on December 7, 2018 , have been mailed to Shareholders and filed with the relevant Canadian securities regulators.

Doctors treating kids don't have much information on how to properly treat them since cessation products like nicotine patches and gums are only meant for adults. The FDA put out the call for help months ago and is holding a hearing on Friday at its headquarters.

Altria Group, Inc. (Altria) (MO) will host a live audio webcast on Thursday, January 31, 2019, at 9:00 a.m. Eastern Time to discuss its 2018 fourth-quarter and full-year business results. Altria will issue a press release containing its business results at approximately 7:00 a.m. Eastern Time the same day. The webcast can be accessed at altria.com or through the Altria Investor App.

At a time when rivals Tilray (NASDAQ:TLRY) and Aphria (NYSE:APHA) have captured headlines, Aurora Cannabis (NYSE:ACB) finally got a piece of the action again. Earlier this week, management announced its acquisition of premium-cannabis producer Whistler Medical Marijuana. As expected, ACB stock jumped on the news.
More importantly for speculators, the enthusiasm hasn't faded yet, despite that we're now near the end of the week. A significant reason why Wall Street remains bullish is the acquisition's fundamental impact. For the most part, Aurora Cannabis stock is a direct play in medical marijuana. With Whistler, ACB has a broader portfolio.
In addition, management must keep pace with key competitors. One of the biggest announcements in the sector was the partnership between Cronos Group (NASDAQ:CRON) and Altria Group (NYSE:MO). We all know about beverage-maker Constellation Brands' (NYSE:STZ) investment in Canopy Growth (NYSE:CGC). If you're not cutting deals in this sector, you're going nowhere.
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That's all fine and well. The most worrying factor here, however, is dilution in ACB stock. Including Whistler, Aurora has bought out nine companies. Ordinarily, such actions represent a strain on resources. The leadership team sidesteps the issue with all-stock purchases.
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Last year, ACB acquired MedReleaf, Anandia Labs and ICC Labs. In total, the medical-cannabis firm spent $3.6 billion, all in equity. Because management refuses to tap into their cash reserves, Aurora Cannabis stock must take the hit, no pun intended.
Currently, we have 994 million shares of ACB stock outstanding. Just two years ago, we had 313 million shares outstanding. By the time the Whistler deal and possible others are completed, we're looking at well over one billion shares.
For those long Aurora, this dilutive strategy warrants concern. Still, it's too early to get pessimistic.
### With ACB Stock, Focus on the 'Why,' Not the 'How'
Again, under ordinary circumstances, I'd sound the alarm on Aurora Cannabis stock. Diluting shares is a relatively easy way to expand your footprint. But get it wrong, and you could be courting disaster. Even without considering a worst-case scenario, dilutive strategies invite profitability and sustainability pressures.
So what makes ACB stock different? It's all about the inherent nature of the legal-marijuana industry. Unlike almost every other market, cannabis has practically appeared out of nowhere. To deliver long-term success, companies must do everything they can to establish their brand. Therefore, traditional concerns like profitability take a backseat to growth and expansion.
Logically, this strategy negatively impacts investments like ACB stock in the nearer-term. However, I'm afraid no other practical alternatives exist. Like crystal meth or hallucinogenic mushrooms, making weed is relatively easy. Thanks to platforms like YouTube, you can practice "pharmacy."
But due to legalization, the black-market effect no longer bolsters marijuana prices. Therefore, cannabis firms must consolidate to survive as an industry. That's one reason why I'm not panicking over dilution in Aurora Cannabis stock.
The other reason is differentiation. As I just mentioned, weed is easy to grow. What will separate the contenders from the pretenders is product quality.
If you look at Whistler's product portfolio, you can see why management pulled the trigger. Contrary to prior eras, cannabis has dramatically evolved from just a means to get high. Today, medical-marijuana firms have "scienced" the snot out of the underlying commodity.
In the foreseeable future, we'll enjoy a standardized industry where patients can match their symptoms with an ameliorating cannabis strain. To get there, ACB must lay down the foundations.
That's why investors should focus on the "why" (in this case, future profitability), not the "how" (dilution).
### Be Carefully Optimistic Toward Aurora Cannabis Stock
While I agree with management's overall direction, that doesn't guarantee a smooth ride. Analysts who raise the dilution concern aren't wrong. Every action has a reaction. At the very least, each share of ACB stock will be increasingly worth less.
But I highly doubt that shares will become worthless. The deal-making and dilution represent the marijuana industry's harsh realities. Due to low barriers of entry on the production side, current cannabis firms must expand, partially to discourage competitors.
And because traditional financiers are iffy about marijuana's Schedule I classification, for sector players, cash is king. Otherwise, going all-equity on every acquisition is unnecessarily risky.
But again, that's just the reality. This investment category isn't for everyone because we know ahead of time that it's insanely and inevitably volatile. But a careful, longer-term approach to Aurora Cannabis stock should pay off quite nicely.
As of this writing, Josh Enomoto did not hold a position in any of the aforementioned securities.
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# Altria Group Inc
### NYSE:MO
View full report here!
## Summary
* Perception of the company's creditworthiness is negative
* Bearish sentiment is low
* Economic output in this company's sector is expanding
## Bearish sentiment
Short interest | Positive
Short interest is extremely low for MO with fewer than 1% of shares on loan. This could indicate that investors who seek to profit from falling equity prices are not currently targeting MO.
## Money flow
ETF/Index ownership | Neutral
ETF activity is neutral. The net inflows of $15.58 billion over the last one-month into ETFs that hold MO are not among the highest of the last year and have been slowing.
## Economic sentiment
PMI by IHS Markit | Positive
According to the latest IHS Markit Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) data, output in the Consumer Goods sector is rising. The rate of growth is strong relative to the trend shown over the past year, and is accelerating.
## Credit worthiness
Credit default swap | Negative
The current level displays a negative indicator. MO credit default swap spreads are near their highest levels for the past 1 year, which indicates the market's more negative perception of the company's credit worthiness.
Please send all inquiries related to the report to score@ihsmarkit.com.
Charts and report PDFs will only be available for 30 days after publishing.
This document has been produced for information purposes only and is not to be relied upon or as construed as investment advice. To the fullest extent permitted by law, IHS Markit disclaims any responsibility or liability, whether in contract, tort (including, without limitation, negligence), equity or otherwise, for any loss or damage arising from any reliance on or the use of this material in any way. Please view the full legal disclaimer and methodology information on pages 2-3 of the full report.

Many tend to ignore consumer stocks not oriented toward the latest technology. Consumers and investors tend to focus on companies that produce new gadgets or bring the next wave of tech innovation. Many "boring" consumer stocks that have less of a tech focus, however, offer an impressive track record with dividends. This serves as an advantage over a tech industry, which tends to lag the S&P 500 when it comes to offering dividend stocks.
Due in large part to dividends and a loyal customer base, consumer stocks tend to offer stability lacking in some of these more exciting stocks. Also, contrary to popular belief, many of these companies have become innovation leaders.
Although the press may not always report it, these firms often pioneer new products that place them on the cutting edge in their industries.
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The following three companies lead this innovation. They also offer growth rates, valuations and dividend yields that should draw the attention of stock buyers.
Source: Shutterstock
### AbbVie (ABBV)
Admittedly, AbbVie (NYSE:ABBV) has made a few of my stock lists. I had hoped not to write about ABBV for that reason. However, when an equity offers an almost single-digit forward price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio, double-digit profit growth and the third-highest dividend yield among dividend aristocrats, I cannot leave it off in good conscience.
ABBV stock trades a perfect storm for buyers. The patent on Humira faces patent expirations across the world. This has inspired a wave of selling in AbbVie. Despite this, analysts believe the company's drug pipeline will keep profits growing at double-digit rates. This has led to a forward PE ratio that stands at about 10.1.
This perfect storm also applies to the firm's payouts. Due to its previous history as part of Abbott Laboratories (NYSE:ABT), ABBV holds dividend aristocrat status. When a stock hikes its payout for 46 years as AbbVie has, the stock price depends heavily on keeping this streak alive.
Even better, ABBV has not made not offered a token hike in the payout merely to maintain the dividend aristocrat status. AbbVie went further, taking the payout from $2.56 per share in 2017 to $3.59 per share in 2018 to $4.28 per share this year. Approving such hikes when they face intense pressure to raise the payout every year shows a strong belief in its own future.
Considering the low P/E ratio, the profit levels, and the dividend growth amounts, ABBV becomes one of the more obvious choices among consumer stocks.
Source: Peyri Herrera via Flickr (Modified)
### Altria Group (MO)
Few consumer stocks reflect resilience better than Altria (NYSE:MO). This year will mark 55 years since the U.S. Surgeon General released their report warning on the dangers of smoking. Amid anti-smoking campaigns, increasing tobacco taxes, and multi-billion dollar legal settlements, MO stock should have sunk into obscurity. Instead, Altria has become an unlikely success story.
Despite the hostile environment for tobacco, the company continues to find opportunity. Currently, it invests in both smokeless tobacco and alcohol. It currently holds a 10.2% stake in Anheuser Busch-InBev (NYSE:BUD), for example. Also, despite legal barriers, it has also turned to the emerging marijuana sector. In late 2018, Altria purchased a 45% stake in Cronos (NASDAQ:CRON) for $1.8 billion.
Even with the hostile business environment, MO stock manages to maintain a generous dividend. The current dividend of $3.20 per share yields almost 6.6%. Although MO does not hold dividend aristocrat status, the payout has increased in most years.
As a result, MO stock has long remained a dividend powerhouse. Those who bought the equity in 2000 and reinvested the dividends receive their original investment back every year in dividends alone. The same holds true for those who bought in 1985 and spent or invested the payouts elsewhere.
The company also looks attractive from a valuation and growth perspective. The forward P/E stands at 11.3. Moreover, analysts predict a 7.5% profit growth rate this year. Also, they expect those profit increases to remain in the high-single-digits for years to come. With its successes in related business, and its ability to maintain growth despite strong anti-tobacco sentiment, Altria should continue to stand out among consumer stocks.
Source: Shutterstock
### General Mills (GIS)
Despite producing recession-proof products, General Mills (NYSE:GIS) and its direct peers have endured years of struggle. An increasing interest in fresh and organic foods has diminished demand for the packaged foods General Mills has produced. As a result, it has seen both revenue and profits steadily fall over the last few years. This has taken GIS stock to levels first seen in 2012.
However, a turnaround could occur soon. General Mills has begun to pivot to reflect consumer tastes. The company owns brands such as Cascadian Farm, Larabar, and Muir Glen that produce certified organic foods.
Such products have helped revenues and profits turns around. After years of falling numbers, analysts predict a 5.5% increase in profits next year. Revenues have already begun to improve as Wall Street expects a 7.7% increase in sales growth for this year.
Also, due to the years of decline, GIS stock trades at 12.7 forward earnings. Although this would not impress investors in a shrinking business, it begins to appear reasonable with growth returning. Also, with a five-year average P/E of 20.6, investors will likely enjoy a nice gain by waiting for the multiple to return to its long-term average.
Even better for income-oriented investors, the $1.96 per share dividend yields around 4.75%. Since they have achieved a 15-year streak of dividend increases, another payout hike will likely come this year.
Both consumers and investors have waited a long time for packaged food companies to embrace more natural foods. General Mills has finally made that move. With its attractive valuations and dividend yields, GIS stock should find a place among the more attractive high-dividend consumer stocks.
As of this writing, Will Healy did not hold a position in any of the aforementioned stocks. You can follow Will on Twitter at @HealyWriting.
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The post 3 Back-of-the-Shelf Consumer Stocks With Growth and Income appeared first on InvestorPlace.